Safety device for conveyances



March 26, 1935. E. R LANDRY 1,995,389

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CONVEYANCES Filed Dec. 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 2c, 1935 1,995,889

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,995,889 SAFETY DEVICE FOR CONVEYANCESElconor Bonaldo Landry, Southbridge. Mass. Application December 30,1933, Serial No. 704,779 Claims. (CI. -50) This invention relates toimprovements in Fig. VII is a schematic view of the wiring syssafetydevices and has particular reference to imtem and showing a modifiedform of the invenproved means and method of locking the doors tion; andof conveyances. Fig. VIII is a sectional view of another modified One ofthe principal objects of the invention is form of the invention. toprovide improved means and method of lock- Many se ious ac s ha e oc r dn he ing the doors of passenger conveyances such as past in havingpassengers attempt to get in or automobiles, aeroplanes or other deviceswhen out of conveyances when they are in motion or they are in motion orwhen their operating mechwhen the operator is about to start theconveyanlsmis inaction. ance. Such accidents have also occurred when 10Another object is to provide means operable an infant or other passengeraccidentally opens a by the ignition switch of motor operated condoorwhen the conveyance is in motion. Thereveyance for locking the doors ofsuch conveyances fore, it is one of the primary objects of thisinvenwhen they are in motion or when their motors tion to provide novelmeans and method of preare in motion. venting such accidents byproviding automatic Another object is to provide combined mechanmeansfor locking the doors of conveyances when ically and electricallyoperated lock means for they are in motion or when their operatingmechlocking the doors of devices of the above charanism is in motion,which means will be under acter. the direct control of the operator andoperating Another object is to provide improved means mechanism. andmethod of making a lock member which may Referring more particularly tothe drawings be operated by remote control. wherein like characters ofreference designate Another object is to provide simple, eflicient, likeparts throughout the several views, one of and economical means andmethods of accomthe devices embodying the invention, as shown plishingall of the objects and advantages of the in Figs. I to VI inclusive,comprises a pair of latch invention. members 1 and 2 pivoted at 3 to thedoor framing Other objects and advantages of the invention 4 of aconveyance. The conveyance, as shown will become apparent from thefollowing descripin Fig. I, is an automobile having two doors 5 and tiontaken in connection with the accompanying 6 hinged at 7 and 8 to openfrom their sides addrawings, and it will be apparent that many jacentthe framing 4 in the usual manner. The

shown and described, as the preferred forms only core. Theelectro-magnet or solenoid is of the have been shown by way ofillustration. usual prior art type having a coil which is con- Rcferringto the drawings: nected or grounded to the main frame of the Fig. I is afragmentary view of the interior of conveyance in a manner similar tothe structure an automobile showing a portion thereof in secshowndiagrammatically in Fig. VII, that is, the

tion and illustrating one embodiment of my incoil is grounded to theframe as illustrated at 14 vention; by the lead wire 15. The frame is inturn con- Fig. II is an enlarged view of the improved denected to onepole of a battery or other source of vice shown in Fig. I; electricity16. as shown in Fig. VII. The oppo- Fig. III is a fragmentary sectionalview taken site end of the coil is connected by the lead wire on lineIIIIII of Fig. II; 17 to the opposite pole of the battery. The lead Fig.IV is a perspective view of one of the latch wire 17 is provided with amake and break switch members of the improved device; 18 which in mostinstances is closed and with Fig. V is a sectional view taken on line VVof another switch member 19 which operates auto- Fi lTI; matically whenthe ignition is turned on or oil.

Fig. VI is a fragmentary perspective view of The ignition switch isadapted to energize or one of the latch members in cooperative relationdeenergize the electromagnet or solenoid 13 with the latch engagingmeans on the door; which, in the structure shown in Fig. I, operatesFig. II, wherein unlocked relation with the doors.

locked relation ignition switch is turned oi! the spring member 9 drawsthe said latch members back to unlocked position. If, when the ignitionis turned on and the doors are locked, it is desired to unlock the doorswithout turning off the ignition switch 19, the operator can do so byopening the switch 18 to deenergize the solenoid. This, of course, isunder the control of the operator and gives him constant knowledge ofwhat is taking place.

The latches 1 and 2 when in locked relation with the doors engage in aslot 20 in each door, as shown in Figs. I, II, V, VI, and VII.

The doors are each provided with a cam member 21 adjacent the slots 20which, if the latch members are in locked position under the action ofthe solenoid core when the doors are opened, will permit the said doorsto be closed without injuring said latch members. when being closed, thecam members on the doors are adapted to force the latch members upwardlyagainst the action of the solenoid, wherein continued movement of thedoors will cause the latch members to move into alignment with the slots20 wherein they will be urged under the action of the solenoid into saidslots.

The electro-magnet or solenoid is so designed that it will hold thelatch members in locked position against the tension of the springmember 9 so that when the electro-magnet or solenoid is deenergized thesprint; member 9 will function to move the said latch members tounlocked position. This is clearly illustrated in the latch members areshown when in unlocked position and dash lines when in locked posiby thefull lines by the dot and tion.

The latch members are formed preferably with tapered ends 22 which fitwithin the slots 20 in the doors. This is to cause the parts to flt insnug relation with each other and to prevent looseness and play when theconveyance is in motion.

In Fig. VII there is shown a lock having a single latch member. In thisinstance the solenoid core 12 is provided with a spring member 24 whichis of such a nature as to permit the core to be moved under the magneticaction of the electromagnet or solenoid 13, and when the saidelectro-magnet or solenoid is deenergized, will retract the core andlift the latches 25 out of the slots 20, it being understood that thislifting action takes place through the link 26 by which the latch isconnected to the core. The device otherwise is similar to that describedabove in connection with Figs. I and II.

In Fig. VIII there is shown a further modification wherein the core 2'7acts as the latch and engages the lock means or slot 28 of the door 29.The core 2'1 is moved by the action of the electromagnet or solenoid 30into locked relation with the door and is moved to unlocked position bya spring member 31 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. VII.

It is apparent that although applicant has shown and described thelocking mechanism as being carried by the framing of the doors, it maybe carried by the doors themselves if desired, it being simply necessaryto provide electrical contact means of some known type to permit theopening and closing of the doors and to complete the electrical lockoperating circuits when the doors are in closed position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the door illustrated in Fig. VIIIis provided with a cam face 32 which engages a cam face 33 on thesolenoid core or latch member 2'7. This is to permit the door 29 to beclosed if by chance the said door is open when the core is moved tolocked position under the action of the solenoid or electromagnet 30. Itis to be understood that the solenoids or electro-magnets are in allinstances of such a nature that the cores may be forced against theaction of the magnetism of the electro-magnets or solenoids withoutinjury thereto. This is to permit closing the doors should they be openwhen the latch members are moved to locked position.

The method of operation is as follows:

After the passengers have gotton on or of! the conveyance and theignition switch 19 is turned on in the usual manner to start the motor,the said switch automatically energizes the electromagnets or solenoidsand causes them to move the latch members into locked relation with thedoors. This automatically locks all of the doors of the conveyance andprevents the possibility of some one getting in or out of the conveyancewhen it is about to start or when it is in mo tion. This arrangementalso prevents the ace!- dental opening of a door by an infant or otherer when the conveyance is in motion, and thereby obviates the danger oftheir accidentally falling out and becoming injured.

The electro-magnets or solenoids function continually to hold the latchmembers in locked relation with the doors when the ignition switch 19 isturned on, but may be deenergized if desired without shutting off theignition by opening the switch 18. This, of course, is under the controlof the operator and enables him to know what is taking place before theconveyance is put in motion.

By simply shutting off all of the doors of the conveyance will beunlocked simultaneously. This is brought about by deenergizing theelectro-magnets or solenoids l3 and allowing the spring members 9, 24,or 31, as the case may be, to lift the latch members from engagementwith the interlocking means on the doors.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have providedsimple, efficient. and economical means and methods of obtaining all ofthe objects and advantages of the invention, particuthe ignition switch19 larly that of providing means operable by the operator or by theoperating mechanism of a conveyance for locking the doors when the saidconveyance is in motion or when its operating mechanism is in motioHaving described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described a pair of door members and aframing between said door members, said framing and door members eachhaving slotted portions in co-operative relation with each other, a pairof latch members coaxlally pivoted on the side wall of the slot in theframing and each having an end adapted to be moved into and out of theopposed adjacent slots in the doors, a solenoid mounted in the slot inthe framing having a plunger movable towards and away from the latchmembe S p rate link members coaxially pivoted adjacent one end thereofto the plunger and separately pivoted adjacent their opposite ends toeach of the latch members intermediate the ends of said latch membersand adapted to move the ends of said latch members into and out of theslots in the doors when the solenoid plunger is reciprocated, springmeans connected adjacent its opposite ends to each of the latch membersadapted to constantly urge the said latch members towards each other tonormally hold the ends thereof out of the slots in the doors, means forenergizing the solenoid and means associated with the energizing meansfor controlling the energizing and deenergizing of the solenoid to lockand unlock the doors.

2. In a device of the character described a door member and a framingassociated with said door member, said framing and door member eachhaving slotted portions in cooperative relation with each other, a latchmember pivoted adjacent one of its ends to the side wall of the slot inthe framing and having an end adapted to be moved into and out of theadjacent slot in the door, a solenoid mounted in the slot in the framinghaving a plunger movable towards and away from the latch member, aseparate link member pivoted adjacent one end thereof to the plunger andadjacent its opposite end to the latch member inter mediate the ends ofsaid latch member and adapted to move the said latch member into and outof the slot in the door when the solenoid plunger is reciprocated,spring means connected with the latch member adapted to constantly urgethe said latch member and normally hold its ends out of the slot in thedoor, means for energizing the solenoid and remote control meansassociated with the energizing means for controlling the energizing anddeenergizing of the solenoid to lock and unlock the door.

3. In a device of the character described a pair of door members and aframing between said door members, said framing and door members eachhaving slotted portions in cooperative relation with each other, a pairof latch members coaxially pivoted to the side wall of the slot in theframing and each having an end adapted to' be moved into and out of theopposite adjacent slots in the doors, a solenoid mounted in the slot inthe framing having a plunger movable towards and away from the latchmembers. separate link members coaxially pivoted adjacent one endthereof to the plunger and separately pivoted adjacent their oppositeends to each of the latch members intermediate the ends of said latchmembers and adapted to move the ends of said latch members into and outof the slots in the doors when the solenoid plunger is reciprocated,spring means connected adjacent its opposite ends to each of the latchmembers adapted to constantly urge the said latch members towards eachother to normally hold the ends thereof out of the slots in the doors,means for energizing the solenoid and remote control means associatedwith the energizing means for controlling the energizing anddeenergizing of the solenoid to lock and unlock the doors.

4. In a device of the character described a pair of door members and inframing between said door members, said framing and the adjacent ends ofthe door members each having slotted portions in cooperative relationwith each other, each of said doors having another slot in a side wallthereof communicating with the end slots and each having a cam surfacetherein, a pair of latch members coaxially pivoted adjacent one end to asingle pivot member on the side wall of the slot in the framing and eachhaving an and adapted to be moved into and out of the opposed adjacentend slots in the doors, a solenoid mounted in the slot in the framinghaving a plunger movable towards and away from the latch members,separate link members coaxially pivoted adjacent one end thereof to theplunger and separately pivoted adjacent their opposite ends to each ofthe latch members intermediate the ends of said latch members andadapted to move the ends of said latch members into and out of the endslots in the doors when the solenoid plunger is reciprocated, springmeans connected adjacent its opposite ends to each of the latch membersadapted to constantly urge the said latch members towards each other tonormally hold the ends thereof out of the end slots in the doors, meansfor energizing the solenoid, and remote control means associated withthe energizing means for controlling the energizing and deenergizing ofthe solenoid to lock and unlock the doors, the said cam surfaces beingadapted to move the latch members against the action of the solenoid ininstances when the solenoid is energized when the doors are open and thesaid doors are moved to closed position.

5. In a device of the character described a door member and a frameassociated with said door member, said framing and the adjacent ends ofthe door member each having a slotted portion in cooperative relationwith each other, the said door member having another slot in a side wallthereof communicating with the end slot and having a cam surfacetherein, a latch member pivoted adjacent one end to the side wall of theslot in the framing'and having its other end movable into and out of theadjacent end slot in the door, a solenoid mounted in the slot in theframing having a plunger movable towards and away from the latch member,a separate link member pivoted adjacent one of its ends to the plungerand pivoted adjacent its opposite end to the latch member intermediatethe ends of said latch mem-.

ber and adapted to move the end of the latch member into and out of theend slot in tho door when the solenoid plunger is reciprocated, springmeans connected to the latch member adapted to constantly urge the saidlatch member and normally hold its ends out of the end slot in the door.means for energizing the solenoid and remote control means associatedwith the energiz ing means for controlling the energizing anddeenergizing of the solenoid to lock and unlock the door, the said camsurface being adapted to move the latch member against the action of thesolenoid in instances when the solenoid is ener sized when the door isopen and the said door is moved to closed position.

E. RONALDO LANDRY.

